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Vogelsong pronounces spring off to 'a good start'

Ryan Vogelsong had outpitched his peripherals for two seasons before his luck reversed last year and at 36 years old his value is limited

By Chris Haft
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MLB.com |

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Striving to make 2013 a distant memory, projected No. 5 starter Ryan Vogelsong threw his first live batting practice session during the Giants' workout Friday and pronounced it "a good start."

Vogelsong, who slumped to 4-6 with a 5.73 ERA last year after finishing 27-16 with a 3.05 ERA in 2011-2012, has adjusted his pitching mechanics in an effort to regain his effectiveness. He's attempting to incorporate more turning of his hips that should help him gather more momentum toward home plate in his delivery.

"It actually went a little better than I expected," Vogelsong said. "I haven't overhauled my delivery, but I'm trying to change a couple of things to make it more efficient. I felt like a lot of my problems last year all stemmed from the same thing, mechanics-wise. I felt like I pulled off a whole lot of pitches. So I'm just trying to change some things to get some better top-to-bottom action."

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, and follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.